compassion

Story·Kate Bailey, age 11 — A girl adopts a mysterious horse from a shadowy seller at a carnival, only to discover he's a stolen Chincoteague pony who must be returned to his island home.

Poetry·McKenzie Steury, age 11 — A girl walking on the beach discovers a baby turtle emerging from the sand and protects it from predators until it reaches the sea.

Story·Mackenzie Crum, age 10 — A girl daydreams about owning a pony she can't afford until her struggling parents surprise her with the horse, strengthening their family bond across generations.

Story·Meg Pheifer, age 11 — A Mexican-American girl's nursing school dreams seem crushed by poverty until her cantankerous neighbor unexpectedly offers to pay her college tuition.

Story·Annika Thomas, age 11 — A shy girl misreads a sentence that spans two pages, creating classroom tension until a classmate secretly helps her discover the missing words.

Story·Peter Swegart, age 10 — A foster brother recalls two years with Jack, an orphan boy who arrived scared and angry but slowly learned to play, trust, and eventually found adoptive parents.

Story·Zhang He, age 11 — A girl selling oranges at a Chinese market warns customers her fruit is sour, then runs after them to return their change, teaching a lesson about honesty.

Story·Stephanie Gomory, age 12 — A drama-loving girl accidentally breaks a precious jade elephant in an antique shop and offers to perform for the elderly owner's sick husband as recompense.

Story·Arielle Gorin, age 13 — A Jewish boy flees to Switzerland with an aging WWI veteran during the Nazi occupation, learning to see beyond hero worship to understand human complexity.

Story·Leslie Pearsall — After her sister's fatal riding accident, Dylan struggles with her mother's overprotectiveness until her own fall forces her to choose between her passion for horses and her mother's peace of...